


Study Buddies

by honestgrins



Series: Elsewhere [2]
Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-29
Updated: 2015-07-29
Packaged: 2018-04-11 21:58:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4453901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honestgrins/pseuds/honestgrins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Desperate for access to a required textbook, Caroline proposes a crazy plan to share one with a classmate she just met. When too-suave art major Klaus gets offered an odd arrangement from an engaging blonde, how can he say no?</p>
<p>Part of "Elsewhere," a series of AU/AH prompt-fills from concepts I can't let go of once I see them. My deep love for Klaus and Caroline's potential is apparently manifesting in fluffy fics as far from canon as can be, and I own nothing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Study Buddies

Doodling in his notebook, Klaus sighed in boredom. The professor was still setting up her presentation, and his classmates looked just as enthused as he was. The only excitement came when the lecture hall door banged open, a frazzled blonde making her way down the center aisle.

Struck by the long legs shaped nicely by her high heels, Klaus quickly cleared the seat next to him in hopes that the girl would take it. When she did, he was surprised that she was already talking.

"I swear, my advisor is trying to kill me," she said, frantically pulling out an intimidating binder full of colored folders and calendars. "She emails me this morning, saying I needed to switch my major-relative elective, and that Greek Philosophy is the only applicable section left.

"It's changed my entire schedule, let alone my study plans and work preferences, and she treats it like it's a simple switch in professors," the blonde rambled, rooting around her bag for something. "Like, no, there is a reason I met with her two months ago to meticulously plan out this semester. It was to _meticulously plan out this semester_!"

Looking over, she must have seen Klaus's gaping mouth, unsure of what to say. "And I must sound like a lunatic," she said, chagrined. "I'm a little out of sorts as a last minute addition to the class. I'm Caroline."

"Klaus," he answered, finally finding words. "You haven't missed anything, if that's what you're worried about. We just covered the syllabus last week, and there wasn't anything else but what you can read from the paper yourself."

"Good," Caroline sighed in relief. "I haven't even picked up the textbook yet, which is so unlike me. I like to be prepared, and I am clearly not that."

"I wouldn't worry, love," he said charmingly. "You can share mine if need be." It wasn't the smoothest flirt he had ever tried, but the pink blush overtaking Caroline's cheeks told him it wasn't the worst attempt either.

"Thanks," she whispered back, the professor already trying to garner the class's attention. Caroline had her full attention turned to the front of the class, pen poised and ready to learn.

Shaking his head at the sight, Klaus turned to face the front, too.

"Alright, everyone," the professor started. "I'm Dr. Sommers, and this is Greek Philosophy 3200. If you haven't bought the textbook for this class yet, I am sorry to tell you that the bookstore is out of stock. As it is a reader of articles I compiled only available at the bookstore, I'm going to recommend those of you without make friends with those who were slightly more prepared than you."

Eyes wide in horror, Caroline faced Klaus. "I don't suppose that offer to share your book stands for the whole semester, does it?"

Grinning wide, dimples deceptively innocent, Klaus just said, "We can talk after class." He ignored Caroline's annoyed expression, despite the strange delight he felt at the sight, in favor of Dr. Sommers and her lecture.

* * *

"So how would this work," Klaus asked, the lecture finally over. Though he had snuck looks toward her, he was taking the opportunity now to fully face his blonde partner. "Us sharing the book?"

Caroline bit her lip, apparently in thought. "I can make us a schedule to swap the book for readings," she said, her eyes positively alight at the prospect of organization. "But honestly? I'm a little nervous about this class, even the material today was a bit over my head. How would you feel about a weekly study group, too?"

"Can't get enough of me already, sweetheart," Klaus asked smugly.

Rolling her eyes, Caroline paused in her packing to hold up a hand. "Let's get something straight," she said with a calculating smile. "I'm too smart to be seduced by you, and I take my grades very seriously. If this is just a ploy for you to get in my pants and not do any work, tell me now."

Unwilling to pass up the challenge this girl now presented, Klaus held up his hands defensively. "Not to worry, love," he assured her. "I need the grades, too, considering what I pay to take the classes. I have no intentions to seduce you." Especially given the opportunity to spend hours with her per week, he had no doubt she would come willingly to his bed as numerous others had before.

Fixing him with a hard stare, Caroline nodded in acceptance. "Alright," she said. "We have lecture twice a week, with about two chapters of reading prior to. If we add an extra day for study group each week, then we each have two full days to have the book for ourselves."

Klaus felt the need to contribute to her planning, and offered, "If the assigned papers require the book, we should plan for longer study hours to work together."

"That's good," Caroline replied, writing it all down in her planner. "The same should probably go for tests, so I'll coordinate due dates and exams with our study plan."

They haggled over times and days for their study group, eventually agreeing on Friday lunches in the Student Center. Trading phone numbers and Facebook contacts, Klaus and Caroline were set to go their separate ways.

"Oh," Caroline said, clutching her bag. "How much for my half of the book?"

"Don't worry about it," Klaus shrugged, picking up his notebook.

The blonde just scoffed. "If we're going to be partners in this class, I want us to be on equal footing," she insisted.

Klaus was a bit stunned. "You think of us as partners," he asked incredulously. He'd barely known her for two hours, yet this girl was actually placing some trust him.

"Don't let it go to your head," she said with a bright smile. "So, the book?"

"It cost me forty bucks, so I guess a twenty will do," he answered, watching Caroline pull out her wallet. As she handed him the necessary bills, he couldn't help but add, "And if I were to invest this money for our date when you inevitably fall in love with me?"

"Then you'll probably collect a lot of interest," Caroline said coyly as she walked away. "Because it's not going to happen."

Klaus just smiled, watching her leave. "That's what you think," he said to himself before gathering the rest of his belongings.

* * *

The first couple of weeks went smoothly enough, the book traveling from Klaus to Caroline and back again seamlessly. During week three, though, Caroline noticed writing within the textbook. She assumed the scribblings were from Klaus, given that they were mostly notes from the topic of the week. Sometimes, though, they were doodles.

"Well, they're more like sketches," she explained to her friend Bonnie over dinner. "He's really good, too. There's one of our TA and his pageboy cap, which might be a little mean to call it dorky, but the guy seriously needs to tone down the hipster chic, you know?"

"I don't know, Care," Bonnie said with a sly grin. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you like this guy."

"What," Caroline exclaimed, looking down at her plate. "No, it's just nice to have made a friend in class. That's all." Her insistence might have been effective had she not immediately changed the subject, avoiding Bonnie's suspicious gaze.

Not wanting to slack on her side of the deal with Klaus, Caroline made sure to add her own notes into the margins. If they tended more toward the stupid jokes she kept making over the subject material, she would just blame it on the boredom. "I have to stay awake somehow," she explained to Klaus when he dared to mention them during a lecture.

"And writing about Greek phalluses helps you stay awake," he asked, smug eyebrow arched daringly.

"No," Caroline answered quickly, a blush flaming her cheeks. "Writing about the Greek obsession with phallic symbolism keeps me awake. Satyr plays were a real thing, made up almost entirely of dick jokes."

"Ahem," Dr. Sommers coughed from the front of the lecture hall. Apparently, Caroline's comment had drawn a few laughs from other students. Klaus just laughed as the blonde tried to shrink into her seat.

Caroline was mortified by the experience, and she refused to talk to Klaus the rest of the class.

"It's hardly my fault she gets loud when she's excited," Klaus defended himself when he told his brother Kol the story. "And now she's punishing me by not texting me back."

"You," Kol pointed, confused, "are stymied by a girl not texting you back? Since when do you care? You normally just text the next one until you've got one in your bed for the night."

Klaus cringed at the brutal truth of his habits. "It's not like that with Caroline," he said. "We're just friends." Trying to ignore Kol's tittering, Klaus pretended that the purely platonic situation wasn't wearing on him a bit.

Klaus knew it was just a silly crush, but the more time he spent with Caroline, the more he wanted to spend time with her. Their Friday lunches were becoming the highlight of his week, oddly enough.

That week, he was just pulling off his apron when he saw said blonde walking into the student center. "Hey, Caroline," he called, clearly surprising her.

"I didn't know you worked here," she said, clutching the strap of her bag as she moved to their regular table.

"I work the morning shift and grab leftovers for lunch," he explained. "Did you bring your own again, or can I get you a sandwich?"

Caroline nodded, not expecting such a nice offer. "That sounds great, thanks," she said. "Have you worked here long, or do you just charm your boss into free food with your accent?"

Klaus smiled as he grabbed the sandwiches he had prepared earlier. "A little of both, I guess," he answered. "After three years, I must have charmed my boss into a promotion. I'm actually a manager at this point."

"You must work a lot," Caroline said, making herself comfortable at a table.

"There aren't a lot of art scholarships out there, and I don't get great financial aid," he replied, wishing he hadn't opened himself up to the conversation. "What about you, do you work outside of classes?"

Nodding, Caroline took the sandwiches from Klaus so he could grab drinks. "I work in the student activities department, planning the big events that no one comes to," she said. "The rest of my time is spent auditioning for whatever production I can get into."

"Right, Caroline the drama major," Klaus said, finally sitting down. "Gotten any good parts yet?"

"My favorite so far has been Cinderella from 'Into the Woods,' but I'm trying for Lady Macbeth in the University Theater production," she answered. "It will finally be my opportunity to break out of the ditzy roles, which I am so tired of playing."

"I hope you're not ditzy," Klaus joked, pulling out his notebook. "You wouldn't be much help in these study dates, then."

Shoving him lightly, Caroline retrieved her own binder and their shared textbook. They quickly got to work, happily eating and joking throughout their studying. That is, until a shadow fell across the table.

Klaus looked up to see a large guy with dark hair crowding their table. He was about to ask the stranger to leave when Caroline spoke up.

"Tyler?"

"Hey, Care," the guy said, a touch of anger in his voice. "I thought you said you were studying."

Klaus arched a brow at the man while Caroline just gestured to their open book and notes. "Which I clearly am," she said, annoyed. "Tyler, this is Klaus, my study buddy for Greek philosophy I told you about. Klaus, this is my boyfriend Tyler."

Unable to help himself, Klaus deflated a little. Of course she had a boyfriend; Caroline was beautiful and engaging. "Nice to meet you, mate," he said, a bit curmudgeonly.

"Yeah," Tyler all but grunted. He turned back to Caroline with a bitter expression. "I've got to get to the bus, the team's headed out to a weekend training camp. I won't see you until Monday, probably."

"Okay," Caroline said, standing up. Shooting Klaus an apologetic glance, she said, "I'll be right back," before leaving with Tyler.

Klaus tried not to count the minutes she was gone, really trying not to imagine what they were doing in that time. Like he already knew, it was just a silly crush on a pretty classmate, nothing more.

* * *

The weeks flew by, their weekly study groups slowly growing longer and more relaxed. Klaus learned that Caroline was an only child with a friend group that was more like family, and she had been dating football star Tyler since high school. Caroline learned Klaus was one of many children from a wealthy family, only to prefer complete independence to study art rather than accept his trust fund to study business.

"What are you doing tonight," Caroline asked over Friday lunch late, chip halfway to her mouth. This far into the semester, they had long since passed the need to eat neatly around each other.

Klaus considered her question, remembering a vague promise to hook up with Hayley or Genevieve at some point that night. "Nothing concrete, love," he answered, trying to reign in any enthusiasm her question may have raised. "Why?"

"I don't know if you'd be interested," she said quickly, almost sounded nervous, "but it's opening night for my play, and I thought if you wanted to come, I could get you tickets."

Smiling widely, Klaus stared down at his notebook. "I'd love to be there, Lady Macbeth," he said. "What time?"

"It starts at seven, in the main auditorium," she answered, seeming lighter having finally asked. "How many tickets would you want? You can totally bring a date, I've got the ticket allotment."

"Who's already coming," Klaus asked, knowing he was likely just one of many Caroline invited. If Tyler were there, Klaus would probably need a date to distract him from the football player's glare.

Holding up her hand to count, Caroline said, "My mom is making the trip, Bonnie, you've met her, remember? She stopped by lunch a few weeks ago? Tyler can't make it, there's an away game this week. Stefan and Elena have to go home for the weekend, so that leaves two tickets for you. What do you say?"

"With your mom and Bonnie," Klaus asked, liking those odds. Without Tyler, Klaus could be a little more open about his feelings for Caroline; Bonnie had already let slip that Caroline wasn't completely indifferent to him, nor that Tyler was being a good boyfriend to the blonde. "I can bring my brother Kol, if you don't mind notes on fidelity to the original work. He's a bit of a Shakespeare nerd."

"The more the merrier," Caroline said brightly, beaming at him. Klaus would like to fancy that she was relieved he wasn't bringing a date, but he was just thrilled to even be on the list.

If he responded to that internal elation by bringing flowers to the play, then he didn't really need to say it out loud. Kol had teased him mercilessly until Bonnie said how sweet the thought was; Kol merely took to telling Bonnie how sweet she was. Klaus laughed at the exasperated look on Bonnie's face, sympathizing with her over his little brother's overtly obnoxious ways.

Liz Forbes was a tougher customer. "You're the study partner," the older woman said. "I've heard a lot about you."

"All good things, I hope," Klaus answered nervously. He didn't think Caroline could say anything that bad about him, though stories about her ballbuster sheriff mother were enough to make him worry anyway.

"More good things than I've heard about her actual boyfriend lately, which make me wonder about a man that grows so close to someone else's girlfriend," she said, suspicious eyes narrowing on his face.

Sighing, Klaus did his best to straighten his posture. "Honestly," he said, "I like your daughter a lot, but I also value her friendship. She's made it clear she's not interested in furthering our relationship, but she did ask me to come tonight. I'm just here to support her."

"Alright," Liz said, a slight smile taking over her face. "Then let's go watch Caroline kill some people."

Grinning, Klaus offered her his arm to lead her into the auditorium. They happily made small talk and watched Kol and Bonnie turn flirting into warfare until the lights dimmed. The production went smoothly, but Caroline definitely stood out despite her playing Lady Macbeth with a cool, quiet demeanor. The applause during her curtain call was rousing, and Klaus could see the pride on Liz's face.

"Don't tell her I cried," Liz warned, still wiping a tear from her cheek.

"Your secret is safe with me," Klaus promised, leading their group toward the exit to meet the cast. Eyes peeled for her blonde curls, his search was rendered moot by the girl herself bouncing toward them.

Caroline had already divested of her large costume, clad in a simple sundress and a pound of stage makeup. "Thank you all for coming," she cried, wrapping her mom in a hug first. Klaus was a quick second, though, when she saw the flowers he nervously held. "Are those for me?"

Klaus handed them over, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "You were wonderful, sweetheart," he said softly.

"Thanks," Caroline answered, a little awestruck at how much that meant to her coming from Klaus. "Bonnie," she said, moving to hug her friend, anxious to ignore the growing affection she felt for her study partner. She also looked to the stranger, and offered a friendly hug as well. "You must be Kol."

"And you, the charming Caroline," he said with a wide grin. "I'm glad to finally meet you. You were a fine Lady M, if I may say so."

Klaus smiled as his little brother good-naturedly argued with the blonde over the finer points of the Scottish play, happy to see them getting along. He had never introduced his family to a girl before, not on purpose, anyway. Caroline was important, though. She was special.

"Honey," Liz broke in. "I need to start heading home, but I love you. I'm so proud of you, sweetie."

The Mikaelson brothers took a step back to give the women some privacy, Bonnie joining their little group. "Smooth move with the flowers," she said with a wink.

"Think they'll work on your friend, darling," Kol asked rakishly. "I've never seen Nik here work so hard for a woman, let alone a woman he's not sleeping with."

Klaus quickly raised a hand to smack his baby brother's head, only to meet Caroline's mirthful gaze. "Sibling troubles?"

"Just imprudence," Klaus answered, ignoring Kol's laughs.

"There's a cast party happening after, if you all want to join," Caroline offered, hope filling her eyes.

"I can't," Bonnie said sadly, sneaking in one last hug. "I've got an early studio time tomorrow, and my choreographer does not reschedule."

Caroline pouted. "That sucks, but thanks for coming. Need me to walk you to your car?"

"I can walk with her," Kol offered, not so subtly winking at Klaus. "I should get going, too."

"Oh, okay," Caroline sighed as they walked away. Looking up at Klaus, she asked, "Are you ditching me, too?"

"Never, love," he answered with a smug grin. "Cast party, you say? Let's go."

Caroline's answering smile was so bright, Klaus was itching to capture it in his artwork.

* * *

They were nearing the end of the semester, and Klaus still hadn't told Caroline how hopelessly he had fallen in love with her. While Kol teased him about his noble effort to wait out her relationship with Tyler, noble was the last thing Klaus wanted to be. His patience snapped after their last Friday lunch before the exam.

"I hope you don't mind," Caroline said, obviously uncomfortable cutting their lunch short. "Tyler said it was important that I meet him soon, and I haven't been the best girlfriend lately."

Klaus tried not to wince at the reminder that Caroline wasn't his, and instead waved her off. "Don't worry about it," he said bitterly, watching her pack up her stuff. He barely heard her whispered apology as he pulled out his phone to text the first female name he found.

_You busy?_

Twenty minutes later, he was pushing one of his former flings against the door to his flat. His mouth was punishing, the nearly painful pressure almost allowing him to forget his current anguish. He pulled her inside, determined to lose himself in the girl that wasn't Caroline. Klaus was well on his way to that mindless state when a knock at his door startled him.

The girl whined from beneath him, but Klaus just fastened his pants to answer the door shirtless. "What?"

"Hi," Caroline greeted shyly, arms wrapped tightly around her chest like she was trying to contain herself. "I broke up with Tyler."

Flabbergasted, Klaus tried to force a question from his brain to his mouth. "Why?"

She sucked in a deep breath, summoning all of her courage. "Because I accidentally fell in love with you," she answered, biting her lip in fear. When Klaus just stood there, open-mouthed, she smiled anxiously. "Seriously? You don't have anything to say?"

"Klaus," a female voice called from behind him, the girl he had been with not five minutes ago opening his door fully. She was wearing his discarded shirt. "Come back in, I wasn't done with you yet."

Turning back to Caroline, Klaus was horrified at her pain-stricken expression. Worse, he hated the smile she was forcing to replace the hurt. "Caroli-"

"Sorry, I should go," the blonde said quickly in a high-pitched voice. "You're busy, and I should have called. I'll see you in class."

"Caroline," he called after her as she raced down his hallway. "Wait, Caroline!"

"Really, Klaus," she said, not looking back. "It's fine. You should get back to your date."

Klaus reached out to grab her arm, but she slipped out of his grip and ran down the stairs. "Caroline!"

He couldn't very well chase her down the street in just jeans, so Klaus sighed and went back to his room. "You can go," he crisply told the girl, not bothering with any other niceties. Grabbing his phone, he immediately tried to call Caroline. After multiple attempts and embarrassingly desperate voicemails, he resolved himself on waiting to see her at class. They only had one lecture left before the exam, and he knew she wouldn't miss it for the world.

* * *

"Mikaelson," Dr. Sommers called from her podium. Klaus walked to the front of the class, frantically checking the doors for the blonde he had yet to see. "Miss Forbes came to see me during office hours. She had a last-minute work engagement she couldn't avoid today. Given her exemplary work this semester, I gave her the lecture materials for her perusal. However, she asked me to give you this."

Klaus felt numb as he accepted the textbook he had shared with Caroline. He mumbled a thank you before moving back to his seat, dropping unceremoniously into his chair. He had hoped she would take the weekend to hate him, then come back to class so he'd have an opportunity to grovel. Instead, she was avoiding him so completely that she would miss the last lecture.

Staring at the textbook, he noticed a piece of paper poking out the top. Considering Caroline's strict "no ruining the book spine with extra paper" rule, Klaus instantly tore it from the pages.

_Dear Klaus,_

_I'm a coward. If I weren't, I would have admitted what I felt for you a long time ago. I would have broken up with Tyler so much sooner than I did. I would have been able to reciprocate the longing stares you thought I didn't notice._

_Here's the thing about being a coward: it's easy. It was easy to flirt with you because you're so wonderful, just as it was easy to remain Tyler's girlfriend because it's who I've been for so long. It's easy to skip this class because it means I don't have to make you explain why you were free to sleep with that girl._

_Because you were free to do whatever you wanted, Klaus, I know that. I don't get to have my cake and eat it, too._

_That doesn't mean it didn't hurt to see her, or your mussed-up hair and feather tattoo. Seriously, that wasn't how I was expecting any of this to go. That said, you know I'm a big believer in fate. In my twisted mind, this just wasn't meant to be. It's very Greek, actually, the Fates laying out our futures._

_So, I guess I'm trying to say thank you. You made me laugh, helped me to decide I needed more out of life, and cared. I needed that. I needed you._

_But maybe this is how our story was supposed to play out, and it's time to say goodbye._

_I'm so sorry._

_Caroline_

Crumpling the note in his fist, Klaus could feel the burn in his eyes as he fought emotional tears. He looked up to focus on Dr. Sommers, the lecture droning on as Caroline's words bounced around his head.

_I'm so sorry._

* * *

When Caroline finally steeled herself to walk into the lecture hall for the final exam, her heart ached at the sight of Klaus's brass curls in his usual seat. Her seat next to him was empty. Almost asking for confrontation, she felt herself moving toward him.

Instead, Klaus barely acknowledged her as she sat down. She bristled, unsure how to bring up her letter and cowardice. Rather than face her fear, Caroline remained silent and prepared her blue book for the exam. She didn't look at him again until their fingers brushed as she passed him the question sheet.

His blue eyes blazed through her, though his face seemed set in stone. Dr. Sommers called for the test to begin before Caroline could even utter another apology. For forty excruciating minutes, she tried to limit her attention to the paper in front of her rather than Klaus's forearm next to her.

Her personal conflict was interrupted when Klaus stood up, apparently finished with his exam. Caroline tried not to watch him leave, but she felt a deep loss when he didn't even glance her way.

Another five minutes of staring at her answers went by until Caroline deemed her responses good enough to turn in. Sap that she was, she looked one last time over to Klaus's seat. Caroline froze, stunned to find their textbook laying in the chair. She clutched it to her chest before moving to turn in her test, quickly running out of the hall.

She pulled out her phone, deciding to make her way toward the cafe where she hoped Klaus had gone. Bursting out of the building, her search abruptly ended when she found him leaning against a nearby tree, staring at her.

"Klaus," she whispered, still holding the book tightly. Walking toward him, she kept shaking her head. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"Did you look in the book," he asked softly, not making a move toward her.

"W-what," she stammered, fiddling with the text. She opened the front cover, only to find her original letter. It looked as though it had been crumpled, then flattened out again. "I shouldn't have written this, Klaus, I miss you, and I'm so sorry."

Finally stepping closer, Klaus just smiled. "Turn it over," he commanded quietly.

Confused, Caroline did as he said. She gasped as she saw a picture of her, clearly drawn by Klaus. Given the heavy makeup and beatific smile, she thought it was from opening night. But below her face, she saw his handwriting.

_I'm not._

Brow furrowed, she looked up. "You're not?"

"I'm not sorry," Klaus clarified, carefully reaching for her hands. "I mean, I am sorry about that night when you came over," he said, somewhat sheepishly. "But I'm not sorry about flirting with you, even when I knew you were spoken for. I'm not sorry that I stretched our Friday lunches as long as I could just to spend more time with you. I'm not sorry for agreeing to a crazy plan from a pretty blonde to share a textbook."

Smiling through tears, Caroline giggled at his speech.

With a serious expression, Klaus stared down at their joined hands before meeting her gaze. "And I'm not sorry for falling in love with you, too."

Dropping the book to the ground, Caroline pulled her hand from his and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Then what are we waiting for?"

Klaus dove in to catch her lips with his, reveling in his new freedom to touch her. The kiss was long and slow, both of them just wanting to sink into each other. Whoops and hollers from students passing by them finally broke them out of their focus, leaving only silly smiles and bright eyes between them.

"Want to grab lunch at the cafe," Klaus asked, ducking down to pick up their book.

Caroline reached for his hand. "Sounds like fate to me, partner," she answered cheerfully, leading the way.


End file.
